CIW - Why is everyone down on these?

I am curious, I've done a search and all I see is people putting these down. I was thinking about taking those for web design and development, but was told they are joke. But on monster I saw a few jobs that employers listed CIW as prereq.

Thoughts?

Find more posts tagged with

SAVE $250 on Your Boot Camp — Use Code "EXAM26"

Exclusively for TechExams members for Infosec Boot Camps starting before April 30, 2026

View Boot Camps

Comments

Chris:/*

If it is for a job and it is the only thing they want or you want a quick way to knock a year off the CISSP requirement grab 'em. It is all about the bang for the buck. I did it because the school I help teach the Cisco Discovery Course at after work wants them to grant me some access priviliges.

They are not bad certificates but for the price there are other options, that are better known.

Lord Nikon

Chris:/* wrote: »

They are not bad certificates but for the price there are other options, that are better known.

help me out? such as? thanks!

Chris:/*

It depends on what you are attempting to do. The CIW certs are entry level to associate level generalist and really will only get you that far. Other certs that would fit a specific bill would be a better investment as they will usually get you further for that particular job.

In other words the CIW WFA cert will show networking, programming knowledge and some project management skills. If you were going to work for an ISP a CCNA or OS focused certification would be a better investment in time and money. At that point the CIW becomes nice to have. You will see a lot of web development jobs that want either a CIW or equivalent Java cert. At that point I do see the CIW WFA or their other web based certs becoming more useful. The CIW SP does show security knowledge at a professional level but that is because it requires two other certifications that usually signify that level on their own.

Lord Nikon

Well ok. But I was thinking of taking the web design professional route and have that on my resume for those web design jobs I see out there. Which are usually small project contract. Or am I wasting my time?

ptilsen

I'm not a web design professional myself, but of the admittedly few with whom I've discussed the subject, none had heard of CIW. Until I ready about WGU and started looking into WGU, I'd never heard of CIW. I don't know anyone in the infrastructure industry outside of this site who has these certs, has considered these, or has even heard of them. Of the web design/javascript jobs I've seen, employers want computer science degrees, not certifications, and certainly not hilariously easy ones like CIW.

Outside of being unheard of, everyone I do know who has taken them says they are much easier than CompTIA, which frankly is as entry-level as you can get (anything less is effectively worthless).

Lord Nikon

Funny you say that. I saw three web design jobs today that the requirement list CIW cert a plus, but not required.

But ok let's go with they are easy not known tests. What certifications would one want to get for web design/development?

petedude

ptilsen wrote: »

. . . not certifications, and certainly not hilariously easy ones like CIW.

When I took A+ long ago, it was "hilariously easy" yet employers wanted it. Say it with me again, everyone: "external validation". This means someone impartial (hopefully), not your mom, not your local minister, not your favorite gym teacher, says you know how to do something. If that means using CIW to validate a skillset for certain roles, then it means CIW for those roles.

Yes, I was able to pull a "hail mary" and pass some of the CIW exams without studying for them as completely as I would have outside of WGU. But not many. I did not consider the Javascript exam a cakewalk, for example.

I think the CIW certs can help someone back their skills in certain roles. They may have limited utility outside of that, but I don't think they're completely worthless either.

Chris:/*

Again I hold that I have seen a number of jobs that require them for web design or a java web service based certification. Unfortunately the requirement for a computer science degree or equivalent is fading in the web design market. Most of the web designers I have worked with had liberal arts degrees and could work with tools like Cold Fusion and Dreamweaver suites.

They could be paid less and develop the code using generators. With the rampant use of cut and paste coding, the apps worked but just and they were about as secure as the Somali Navy. In these leaner, meaner and quicker times that is what has been happening. Only now have companies started to take a look and realize that this style of development is costing more on the back side than it would initially because of poor engineering.

Devilry

Any certification is better than none.

The value is in the eyes of the beholder.

yoshiiaki

Hi all. I just got the CIW Database Design Specialist Certificate and thought it to give a bit of a challenge...wasn't much which is scary considering the lack of investement I put into it. I pretty much waited until I couldn't wait anymore read the material a few times and then walked in not really knowing much. The sql took a bit to resolve in my head but it wouldn't have been hard had I actually put in the appropriate effort. But my question is for the HTML/Javascript. I have so little experience you should probably just pretend I've never touched either, but WGU is requiring I get certified, and I'll have to recheck but I believe them both to be from CIW. Are all of you are saying that those ones are easy as well? Would I have to invest a good amount of time studying the material? These are both subjects I want to learn but I would also like to know what I'm getting myself into. If it's anything like the 1D0-540 I'm not going to be worried. It's not really a matter of value of the cert as it's through WGU and I don't get a choice. Thanks